


and you will find me

by sandyk



Category: Bones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Getting Together, Post Season 3, Pre Season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:49:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27046015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandyk/pseuds/sandyk
Summary: "It is complicated, this isn't like the last time we kissed. And the other previous time we kissed in front of Caroline," Temperance said.
Relationships: Seeley Booth/Temperance Brennan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26
Collections: Fic In A Box





	and you will find me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [igrockspock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/igrockspock/gifts).



> Not mine, no profit garnered. Title from Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time. Set after 3x15 and before 4x01.

"It's complicated, it's complicated, everything's complicated," Booth said, in a lightly mocking tone. It was irritating, in Temperance's opinion. He was mocking her. After kissing her. 

He had leaned over after they had been knocked together. She had leaned in. They had both initiated it. 

"Please don't mock me," she said. "It is complicated, this isn't like the last time we kissed. And the other previous time we kissed in front of Caroline."

"It isn't like that because neither of us are drunk, I haven't been gambling, and we've been working together for a few years and we're both single right now. Speaking of the actual time we kissed," Booth said. He tried his charming smile. "Why not?"

"The FBI is forcing us to see a, a psychiatrist just because you arrested my father, do you think they won't separate us if we're dating?" Temperance held her purse against her chest. It was an obvious defensive gesture but Booth didn't seem to pick up on it. It was unlike him to ignore clear body language. 

"But we're, we work great together. We can work on that, like we work on everything," Booth said. His smile seemed more sincere this time. Temperance had only seen that expression when Booth was outside the interrogation room and talking to people he liked. "That's why I'm saying, it's actually not complicated. We care about each other, we respect each other. We're great together. We know we're great together," he said. "You, I actually think I can somehow logic into you a relationship, that's nuts."

"I would, you could use logic to convince me that a romantic and sexual relationship with you was a good idea," Temperance said. 

"But that's not how I want to get you, it's not how I want to start with you," Booth said, with his patient voice. 

"Why not? You can be very good with logic," Temperance said. 

"If I logic you into the relationship then someone, in the future, probably you honestly, can logic you out," Booth said. "That's not very romantic, either. It's not a lot about love and it should be about that."

"Love is a very strong word," Temperance said. 

Booth smiled again. "Which you didn't object to, you just said it was a strong word."

"I do love, in general and some specific people, not necessarily romantic," Temperance said. "But I find I hate having this conversation in this bar." She stood up and walked out, confident Booth would follow her. 

She glanced over her shoulder and saw him. She didn't check again. She felt ridiculous for checking. 

Booth pulled on her wrist gently to make her stop when they were under a light but outside on the sidewalk. It was late and dark. She said, "When we're outside at night like this, you can see how DC is different from most big cities. Nothing can be built above a certain height. More stars are visible, by a small margin."

"Yeah, I know," he said. "Not like Pittsburgh. We have buildings there, despite what you might have heard. Skyscrapers, even. Nice bridges."

"It's also not like Los Angeles, if we're picking random examples," Temperance said, to see him make that face. He had developed a strong antipathy to Los Angeles. It was amusing to tease him.

"Don't go trying to make me mad," Booth said. "We were talking about something else. Something important." 

"Yes," she said. "Do we have to? Can't we, I don't know, ignore it? We're both in an emotional place after everything. Zach," she said. "We're emotional about Zach. What he decided to do."

"No, that's just," Booth said. He shook his head. He said, "You don't need to make excuses, it's okay. Kissing, we did that. But if you don't want to move forward, or do something else, I understand."

He looked sad. She hated when he was sad. She didn't want him to be sad. That was indicative of what high esteem she held him in, that she felt pained about his melancholy. 

She could be brave, she should be brave. She needed to learn to not be so logical. Or to not let logic rule her. "No, you don't need to understand. Let's, let's go back to my apartment and have sex."

"That's so hot," Booth said. "I'll drive."

He did drive, and Temperance stared at him and then out of the window. Back and forth, oscillating between being sure and unsure. She was always more sure than unsure. Booth always had that affect on her, making her go against so many of her first principles. 

"I believe we always had this potential, it was just about being pushed into a decision. Our inertia has been overcome, I guess," Temperance said. She was tempted to laugh. They really just needed a small nudge, like that rude thin man who had pushed Temperance into Booth. 

"That sounds very sexy," Booth said. "Come on, say inertia again."

She actually laughed. 

She laughed again when they got to her apartment, when Booth kissed her in the elevator. Joyful laughter. Being with Booth made her happy. Maybe it was a rush of chemicals. She didn't care to parse each emotional response.

Booth used his above average strength to lift her by gripping her thighs and then carrying her to her bed. She kept smiling and laughing as they disrobed. She once again got to enjoy the beautiful view of his genitals. They were very nicely shaped. He was very skilled at using them. She said that as they were having sex and he was penetrating her and he laughed, too. He made a ridiculous face as he orgasmed. He was very intent on making her orgasm which she enjoyed and expected. It was a very satisfying orgasm. 

"I love you," Booth said, after they had disposed of the condom and both cleaned up. They were laying on her bed after she stripped off the top sheet. "You don't have to say it back, I know you think we're moving too fast."

"I can say it back," Temperance said. "I do love you, as I understand love."

"That's great," Booth said. "That's so great." He tapped her chin and then her nose. It could have been condescending or demeaning. But it felt, actually, sweet. 

Naturally, the phone rang. Both their phones rang. "No, no, come on, there has to be someone else," Booth said. "One night off, that's all I want." 

"Aren't you excited?" Temperance stood up and got some of her going-to-examine-bones clothes. She was dressed and lacing her boots while Booth was still groaning. Temperance said, "Are you too drained by intercourse to come see the body? Actually," she said. She looked down at her phone. "Bodies. Booth, there are bodies!"

"I'm a little drained by the intercourse, because it was good sex," Booth said. "It was making love. That takes a little out of a guy."

"I found it energizing," Temperance said. "I feel alive. I'll feel like a weight is off my shoulders. I never thought this would be so freeing. So electrifying."

"See," Booth said, sitting up. "That is good sex."

She grinned. "Come on, Booth. We can make love again after."

"We can sleep after, then make love again, after," Booth said. He finally stood up and started putting on his same clothes from their bar encounter. 

There were actually multiple bodies, all skeletonized and laid out in a fascinating array. "Hello, Dr. Saroyan," she said. "I find this very exciting."

Cam said, "Really? You're very bright and bushy-tailed for two a m." She looked markedly less excited than Temperance but that was understandable. It was very likely she hadn't found another lover since Booth. 

"I just had sex," Temperance said. "Excellent sex."

"Let's just tell everyone without discussing it," Booth said.

"Oh, you had sex with Seeley?" Cam exhaled. "Wow. I did not expect that."

"Neither did I," Temperance said. She was already leaning over the closest bones to her. "Normally I would tell Angela first, but you're here at the crime scene and she isn't."

"Lucky me," Cam said. 

Temperance noted that Seeley was conferring with Cam about something. She assumed it was the bones and transporting them back to the Smithsonian. 

It took an hour or more to get the first round of notes and take pictures of the initial layout. Temperance found her burst of energy didn't flag at all. It was a fascinating case already and she really did feel lighter with her tension with Booth resolved. 

Once they were done, she offered to drive Booth and herself back to her place. "You said you wanted to sleep. Sometimes I forget you are older than me."

Booth took the keys and got in the driver's seat. Temperance frowned but she did sit on the passenger side. Booth said, "I'm not ancient here. I'm a little older than you. Barely."

"If you factor in your age and the extraordinary wear you've endured in war and now your current career, your body is more prone to breaking down than other men of similar conditioning and the same age," Temperance said. "I don't mind. I still find you very attractive."

"Until my body breaks down?" Booth smiled. He suppressed a yawn. 

"And after, I expect," Temperance said. "I think part of the reason I was caught in the inertia of not acting on my desire was that there's much more to my interest than the purely physical."

Booth nodded. "Once I dumb that down, I think you're saying you really like me. That I'm not just a pretty face."

"You're not just a handsome face, I don't know that I would describe your face as pretty," Temperance said, smiling.

Booth did indeed fall asleep shortly after they arrived home. He simply stripped down to his boxers and left his clothes on the floor next to the side of the bed he had claimed. She was going to have to talk to him about that in the future. No need to start with bad habits. Maybe he could do that in his own place, but not hers. 

She imagined at some point they would move in together. Maybe even sooner rather than later, given how fast they were already moving. That would be nice, she thought. In general, Booth was very organized and the times she'd visited his apartment, it was always fairly neat. She wondered if that was part of his military conditioning. 

She liked to watch him sleep. It was sentimental and silly, but she did. It made her happy in a decidedly primitive way. 

At five a m, she felt comfortable calling Angela. Somehow the important things in her life didn't become concrete and true until she had told Angela and heard her reactions. Plus, Angela could be counted on to say her real thoughts in a way that Temperance gathered wasn't typical in other people. 

Angela was initially grumpy but then she was quite thrilled. The events were concrete and had happened then, and were Angela approved. This was proving to be an excellent decision. 

Booth finally woke up. Temperance said, "In speaking to Angela, I realized we have to tell Sweets. I definitely think I dread that."

"I know I do," Booth said. "I need to go to my place for clean clothes. If we go there together, I can make you breakfast." He said it with a leer. 

"Okay," she said. "But only breakfast, we don't have time to have sex the way I want to do it."

"You need time to make love," Booth said. 

She rolled her eyes. "In the future we might have time for what people call quickies, but I find with you, I prefer to take my time. And on you." She leered, too. 

He made an excellent breakfast. Temperance had quickly packed an overnight bag and left it at Booth's place. He noticed and said, "You're very confident about us, huh? I like that."

"I am confident in us," Temperance said. "Aren't you?" 

"Absolutely," he said, pulling her close. "Nothing complicated about how confident I am in us."


End file.
